Dark Knight
by veronca
Summary: Vergil. Lady. Arkham. Somewhat based on a Greek myth. Will they kill each other or come to truce? LxV pair with action. AU. Sequel on Mayan Masks: DK II. Complete.
1. Prologue: Ladys Escape

_I'd like to run away  
From you,  
But if you didn't come  
And find me ...  
I would die.  
by Shirley Bassey _

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**PROLOGUE: What Happened After:**

**_Lady's POV_**

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A gust of wind. 

It went through the open window carrying a flail of icy rain.

I shivered and it was plain to me that I would have to take this route.

It was a long way down from the top of the roof of this manor.

Scanning the perimeter, I sought for things like a blanket, a sheet or anything to cover myself in the dark of the night.

Instead I found suits of armour standing erect against the wall, like evil sentinels or prison guards waiting for me to take the plunge.

In the darkened room, I could see very little and my eyesight was usually very good. My diet however was not. _That's right, Lady, you need to eat more, to gain more strength and stamina_. I tell myself this over and over again and all I could do was meet the end of a toilet bowl or bucket to cough out what remains of breakfast I had that day.

I would not remain prisoner here any longer. What made me stay was the sheer terror of my mother dying or being left alone. Now she's gone and I've yet to want to remain in this place.

But he has the entire area surrounded by security and cameras. He would at all costs keep me here and drive me insane, like my own mother.

I would not cry, dammit. I can't. I have more resolve than that.

My hair may be short, but it wouldn't be brightly visible in the cover of the darkness. It was the paleness of my skin that made me hesitate. The moon was full tonight and would anyone outside see? Would there anyone besides the guards that roamed their stations to stop me?

Staring up at the moon, I started to feel a sting in the back of my eyes. _God, don't start, Lady_.

But they went falling down the curve of my cheeks, wetting my dark lashes and I had to wipe them away with the back of my hands.

If only I had made this plan on the eve of an absent moon.

The windows allowed me to push my way through and as I looked down, there was a vertical drop of flat yet smooth granite, without any drainpipe or creeper, to the hard cobblestone below. I thought that if I could find blanket or sheet I could knot them together and make my descent an easier ride.

I had made sure the cameras were not pointed in the direction of my escape. It was not an easy task, mind you.

One would think that after all this time; I would have expected to become braver, as I grew up. I am disgusted, however at my cowardice. Disgusted at myself for being so afraid.

So it was with sheer strength and will to open up these windows, to disable the security systems and know how to bribe a few guards.

To top off my lack of bravery, the night was cold and the sheet of drizzle battered my senses. But I was out of the window, and I clung desperately to the down-pipe which ran beside it. I could thank my father for the fact that he loved gothic architecture or the fact that he assembled this manor in the 19th century style, not withstanding of course the benefits of modern technology.

The cold metallic feel of the pipe made me numb with cold against my naked thighs. I had donned a pair of knee high combat boots, laced up tightly.

I had to jump off the pipe for it stopped at another floor and curved at the opposite direction of where I was falling. My booted feet landed on the smooth wet slates of the roof. From the ridge of the top of the covering, the slates sloped downward on the inside at the matching awesome slant.

The wind grabbed at me, sent me back momentarily but I eddied my way and at the moment, my face and hair became so wet with rainwater. I looked up to see the dripping of each drop from the sky, small darkening clouds that played hide and seek with the fullness of the moon.

I jumped down to the next metallic drain pipe and there I slipped away; the pipe scraped against my skin, opened up flesh and blood dripped to meld with the crimson of my boots.

When I finally made my trek down to the bottom, I fell off abruptly, landing face down on the downy green wet grass. As I lifted myself, my scraped right knee pushed up and my hands flattened against the floors, I saw a pair of male boots I recognized in front of me.

_My guns!_

I reached for them behind my backpack but he pulled me up instantly.

His face was close to mine and his hair had gone down around his eyes and angular face. I struggled slightly, still shocked to see him here as if he were waiting for me.

"Let me go!" It was a lame cry and the beating of my heart hammered against my chest.

Virgil half grinned, "Foolish girl, did you think you could escape without notice?"

"No." I blinked back the wet raindrops, "You can't be in league with him."

I kneed him instantly but he blocked my attack. During that split second, I produced a gun that directly pointed at his chest and fired blindly.


	2. In the beginning: The Dream Machine

A/N: The chapter before happened later in another chapter so you'll see to what events Lady had come to. This will be a short fic though.

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**Chapter one: The Dream Machine **

_A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, _

_one human soul whom we can trust utterly, _

_who knows the best and worst of us, _

_and who loves us in spite of all our faults.  
by--Charles Kingsley _

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He was at it again, at those experiments in his laboratory and for a better man; it would have made a difference for humanity. In his case, it was for his only gain. Lights by the dozen were attached to the ceiling by hanging wires and a sky light opened up to reveal the blanket of stars. They illuminated the interior with a heavenly glow, more so than any unnatural light can. He must have heard me snuck in from behind. I couldn't help but get frustrated at my skulking around. It has been a habit of mine since and though my admiration for my father had been left behind in my childhood, I cannot stop thinking how brilliant he was. And there he is, looking at me with those self same eyes, another factor in which made me want to swallow the bile that reminded me of our connected blood bond. 

Half turning, he addressed me with the same mock voice, "Come to visit your papa and watch as he makes a newfound discovery?"

Then returned to attaching wires; played with contraptions, plugging multi-colored ends to their twin. Odd shaped bottles adorned the rectangular tables, half filled with noxious chemicals and bubbling foam. It looked like a laboratory out of a cartoon but this wasn't a children's storybook tale, just my story and my nightmare. My father was very particular about cleanliness and allowed his servants to come in once a day to clean up what mess he had. There were multitudes of tubes and jars containing animal and human parts. I didn't know if he had someone procure his hobbies for him but one thing was for sure, he didn't do the dirty work. He just liked to do the brain work, manipulating others to bring him his needs.

My mother became weak over time and often lay there helpless in that great big bed of hers. It swallowed her up whole in the downy folds of linen and stained cotton filled with her sweat. Daily, I'd come to visit her and hold her hand, making sure she receives her medication. Father didn't want any physicians to visit but I managed to get them despite his wishes. It was I'm sure too late by that time. Her condition appeared desperate and as a doctor examined her, jotting down illegible scribbling on a piece of paper, I'd hold on to my mother's hand tightly. Whispering to hold on and that I would never leave her even as I wished I could flee from this place. If I could take her with me I would but she was as much prisoner here as I am.

So now, in that laboratory, facing my father's back, I watch him fumble with care at the large metallic equipment over the small hospital bed on wheels. He turned to me with a grin. "Such a quiet lass you are, my good girl. Come, I've something to show you and your _dear_ _papa_ would love it if you could help."

Inside of me, I knew it was all wrong, just like those half dead animals in large tubes aligned against the wall. This was through experience as well. My own personal experience as I watched him curiously, first with esteem, and finally repulsion. They breathed a kind of life that told me they were not suffering anymore, but were in a sort of comatose. The body parts of once live beings contained in tight jars filled with alcohol induced fluid. Curiosity was one of the banes in life and I moved with my own accord, my two legs now in front of the bed. He reached out and touched my shoulder, "Good girl. I want you to be first, my dear daughter. I have something wonderfully planned. This will be a momentous event. And it will take you to discover your dreams."

I backed away slightly, looked at him with a slight scowl, "My dreams?" I wanted to laugh out loud but I never laugh anymore. "What is this, father?" The monstrous contraption looked larger than life now. I stared at it. It loomed like a great big eagle; spreading it's extensions out and the wires that connected appeared to glow with invisible electricity and fire. I took a great deep breath. Though I still called him my sire, I wanted to know what he working on that was lasted for so many hours in the day.

The eyes that stared down at mine glittered, "Lay down, child. Do you think your papa would hurt you? I know you by now, girl. You're as curious as me to know how this machine works. I know what it does but I needed you, you to fulfill its function."

I held back my arm, pulled back as he tried to pull me towards the bed. His eyes flared with irritation as he saw my reluctance, "Your mother, how is she?"

It was the one thing he mentioned that made me boil with anger, but I stemmed it down for that always made him happy when I was angry. It was a twisted kind of happiness because somewhere, somehow he had lost his ability to be happy. The small remark allowed me to do as he said. I couldn't help but believe him that I would not be hurt. In his twisted way, I was useful just as my mother is useful alive than dead. There may be a time when he no longer needed us but that time I hoped would never happen.

Lying back, I stared up at the canopy of stars through the open sky light. I could see Mars was bright out tonight, glittering red and white intervals, as if the fiery message winked at me and told me a secret. My father's voice droned in, "Now relax as I put these wires on your forehead."

The sheets felt cold against my bare skin and though there were no winds in that great room to comfort me, but I felt goose-bumps climb up like tiny spiders with their multitude of legs scampering away at my skin. My eyes closed briefly as he attached pins in my forehead, like that of Chinese acupuncture. It was with some miracle perchance that he had not drawn any blood as my entire scalp seemed to be filled with wires. My hands gripped the sides of the metallic bars at each end of the bed and the sheets clung on to my now sweating body.

"I told you to relax, girl, yes, that's it. That's a good girl. I want my girl to know that she can have what she wants in her dream."

It was like one of his empty promises, telling me he'd buy me this but I didn't want gifts so that he could shove me away. I didn't know what I wanted anymore.

I barely heard him shuffling around the room as he turned off the lights. My eyes flew open and the darkness above grew stark against the white lights of the stars. They started to blur as he switched several buttons and flipped switches. Entering codes in a computer that he had pulled up next to the bed. His last words before I went into a dream state were that he would make sure I was safe.

It happened all so fast. I spiraled into a tunnel and walked through it, they looked like one of those after death experiences where the victim could see blackness and then a blinking light at the end. I could not tell if my legs were moving or that the tunnel itself moved me towards it, but I ended up in a pasture, my boots touched ground. Odd colored cobbles that looked like they were placed there in a sufficient order. Before me, I could smell the scent of cinnamon and something musky strong and they pulled me along as I noticed trees aligned in a perfect fashion.

There were no animals, I found that in this realm there were only things that I could smell and see, like the trees, which are now glittering in silver and gold. _Is heaven this way?_ And I wondered what my father had planned for me when he said about dreams. _Am I dreaming?_ I felt alone but not lonely. There was a cliff at the edge of this dream like state. I walked tentatively over the edge and saw water. A large river flowing mechanically southward and a noise behind me made me nearly step forward. A hand reached over to grab me around my waist, pulling me back.

I did what any reasonable girl of my caliber would do. I elbowed the intruder and turned so that I could attack, but instead felt a wall of resistance. What I saw brought a gasp from my lips. Whatever it is before me; stood tall and had a large metallic head, and if it weren't for the draped blue solid form he or it had, or the slant of the glowing blue eyes I wouldn't have known. Nor would I have realized that it turned to its former self. _A man!_ White hair that appeared silvery and touched with sheen of light blue glazed over his head. The gleaming azure slants were replaced with the coldest eyes I've ever seen.

He spoke. The voice, masculine yet edged, was as frigid as his eyes. "I thought I was the only one here. I'm glad to know I wasn't. What is your business here?"

I swallowed, stepped back, and he snaked out to grip my elbow. "You really should watch out for yourself, and although it's _your life,_ I'm not thrilled to lose my new company just yet." He moved his head towards the waters below. "This may be a dream to you, but everything in it, is real. Including what happens if you fall over."

He seemed to wait for me to speak and when I did not, I continued to glare at him. _This was my father's experiment? _A freak in a metallic suit who at will can change himself into a man?

His voice became terse from my long silence, "Suit yourself." His cold eyes scanned me and then suddenly, he walked away.

"Wait."

He didn't stop to listen and I caught up to him. "What is this place and who are you?"

"Don't you know?" he lifted a white sleek brow at me, his eyes peered at me, "_Your father _locked me away here and you're suppose to get me out."

"WHAT?" I shook my head. "How am I supposed to do that? I don't even know what this place is."


	3. Chapter 2: Mars Is Bright Out Tonight

**Chapter Two: Mars is Bright Out Tonight**

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_"Death cannot stop true love; it can only delay it for a little while."  
---The Princess Bride _

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I ran after him. The wind had picked up, blowing his combed back hair; it played with the silvery strands above his perfectly formed head. There was a sense of grand masculinity about him. 

"Wait. Don't ignore me!" I was getting agitated, and knew in my mind that I had only assented to my fathers request due to curiosity. I wanted to see what creation he would surmount to invent. Like I said, he is a brilliant man, teetering over the edge of destruction and madness. And here, in this dream realm, a man who can at will change from a monstrous metallic form to this made me even more inquisitive.

"If I am to help you get out. How the hell did you get in here!" my voice was rising on hysteria. I stopped myself. Maybe this guy wouldn't understand women anyway. Probably as typical as the next man but he stopped, and nearly bumped up to his rigid back. The smell of cinnamon wafted my nostrils and the musky scent was stronger now. He had stepped at the other edge of our hallucination sphere; another cliff that made us awe over at the breathless scenery.

"Amazing." I breathed next to him. The stars were bright out tonight. At this side of the cliff ran no water below but a peripheral view of sparkling super novas that blinked at us at a close range. Blue-black night sky painted as if someone had painted it with a gentle long brush stroke and plastered pretty glittery pieces in perfect mathematical order.

The reddish hue of the ground, with it's multitude of cobblestones aligned just as orderly and the grassy hills hid behind the swaying trees. Everything around us had a quality of eerie beauty.

He finally spoke, "You know the story of Orion don't you?" He pointed out to the top most star. "And the scorpion?"

I almost laughed aloud. Here we are in the middle of a dream, I think, and he wants to give me mythology lessons. _Some dream guy, papa_.

I snorted, "Yes. What about it?" Whether or not we should be discussing astronomy didn't occur to me how long I would be in this realm and acquiring the knowledge to get him out and allowed him to continue with his story,

"Constellations seem to pose an interesting foreshadowing, or a mirror to the possibilities of the future and past relations. In mythology, it is the Scorpion or aptly named _Scorpius_, which had been set on Orion by Gaia who by the way was maliciously plotted by the jealous Apollo..."

I have heard this version of the story but remained quiet by his side, wondering where this is going. He stopped after a few minutes then turned to me. "So, we will discuss the matter of you trying to get me out."

"If my father had trapped you here, why would I want to save you?" My arms were folded.

"Because," he leaned down and I stepped back automatically, wary of his kind. I had a sneaking suspicion that he was real. As real as I. That his story of being trapped here was true and if so, does that mean my father would also trap me here as well?

He noted my hesitation to let him close and smirked, "Don't worry. If I wanted to fight you, I'd have done so. In this realm you can produce your weapon of choice, did you know?"

His arms spread out and he tipped his head back as he gazed above, "You can have anything you want, except your freedom." Then laughed,

"Choose your weapon of choice."

"Is this a dare?" This man gives me astronomy lessons and wants me to fight? But my mind already flew ahead of me and I conjured up a shotgun in my hand. It felt heavy and my eyes widened at the revelation of such magic. Yes, I remember now, in dreams, you can at will, if you have the strength to conjure up anything you want. It gave me a sense of renewed power. Was I so like my father?

"Aim it to me," he challenged.

"I thought you said that anything here would be for real." I tipped my head back to gesture at the other side of the cliff where the water flowed.

"It is. What's the matter? Are you afraid?" his icy voice taunted me.

I scowled at him, "I haven't been afraid for a very long time!"

My fingers itched to try it while he threw a dare at me. How could I resist? It wasn't as if he were a _real man_ anyway.

Pressing back the trigger, it drew me back as the gunshots flew at him and he remarkably avoided it without a sweat, maneuvering away with such ease that I was gaping.

He landed on the ground without harm, "Is that all you can do? I begin to wonder why your father wished he would have had a son."

"Go to hell!"

I didn't know when or how but I replaced the shot gun for a pair of pistols, each packed with bullets that could seek its prey.

The adrenaline I felt rushed through my brain and I fired my shots, tracing bullet holes through that could penetrate the aligned trees and cut through cobblestones, making them fly up the air. He was quick, lightning speed, and before I knew it, he was upon me.

He toppled me on the ground. My teeth bared, "Get off me!"

"That's the way. You're getting good at this and I think if you can conjure anything up at will. I'm on my way out of this hell hole. And pay a visit to your dear old papa."

Before I could spit in his face, I woke up. My eyes blurred into clarity, looking at the sky light and the blanket of stars. I saw the god of war.

My fathers voice was near, "What did you see, girl?"

I looked over at him. "Stars. I saw stars and the smell of cinnamon." I kept quiet for the most part. I didn't tell him about that guy.

"Anything else?" he looked distrustful.

"No."

I looked back at the skylight: Mars winked at me.


	4. Chapter 3: The Scorpions Sting Part One

A/N: Very short chapter. Sorry, I was updating another chapter somewhere else.

Slight spoilers for those who didn't play DMC3

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**Chapter Three: The Scorpions Sting **

_"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; But sometimes it is letting go."  
-Hermann Hesse_

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My father eyed me with great suspicion, "Anyone named Vergil perchance?"

So his name is Vergil. The stranger with white-silvery hair and the coldest eyes I've ever seen. My expression must have given something away as I lay there and he pulled the pins and wires out of my head so quickly, I flinched.

"Bad girl. Such a bad girl. You have met him. You're not a very good liar." He stood up and glared at me. "Bring a girl to do a job and she probably falls head over heels over the likes of someone like Vergil. I didn't think you, girl, could fall for anyone _so similar_ to me in goals?"

That is the farthest thing from the truth and my anger rose but I stopped myself from exclaiming out loud. My father thought that by this accusation I would defend myself and nearly did. It might give it all away and how good was I to keep my secret silent. He _may_ think I have met Vergil, but keeping the truth from him was my way of holding some of the cards. As for goals, what did my father mean? Was this Vergil so power hungry as my own hated sire?

"We will resume this tomorrow night. I think there might be a new moon." Arkhem then dismissed me and went to work at the wires; disconnecting, and switched off panels, allowing the gigantic machine to shut down.

I left his laboratory in a hurry, rushing upstairs to visit my mother. She may need me even if in her vacant eyes, she no longer recognizes me. Though, oftentimes, when I'm talking to her, holding her hand tightly, I can see a slight smile. Maybe it's my own imagination or the will to want to see something I wanted to see, but she would turn to me and wordlessly mouth out my name: Mary. My mother was the only reason why I remained here, whereas any other girl with the right mind would have taken flight. Just like all those runaways. Only difference is, I was more than independent and could take care of myself. I suppose I should thank my own father for that since he insisted a girl so young should start learning how to defend herself.

The abilities I have acquired, such as handling weapons were the fact that we owned a gun gallery and a place for target practice. Starting at an early age, I became what I am now. My father knew I was always a good girl. _Why would I use it on him?_ Since my mother could not produce a boy, instead birthed a girl with no ability but be _female_. Go to college, finish school, date and finally marry, siring more children for the world. Mundane and boring as it sounds, that life sounded better than death or bad health. Like my mother in her sickness.

Sleep evaded me that night and cold eyes; glint blue watched me. The face of Vergil hovering over me, whispering, _if you are to be my huntress, you need only to hurry and take me out of here._ My eyes flew open and my sight welcomed darkness. The arrogance of this person. If revenge is what Vergil wants because my father imprisoned him there than it serves him right. He shouldn't have dealt with Arkhem in the first place.

The next morning I went to my training, jumped on my trampoline and somersaulted a few rounds, stretching my muscles for the day. Afterward, I ate some breakfast and visited my mother. I had to make sure she had her meal as one of our servants fed her. Reaching out to wipe off some of the dribble off the side of her mouth with a napkin, I stood up and kissed her forehead, caressing her hair, brushing out tangles, "I'll come by later, mother, I'm going off to do some archery."

As I made my way down the broad stairway, I heard voices at the end of hallway to the left. Fathers voice became louder and angrier, and though his words were imperceptible, they mingled with those of another male voice. The interior of his laboratory illuminated with the day light flooding in from above. The skylight created a brightly hued surface upon the dusty glass and jars, blurring the contents. I wasn't afraid to make my presence known and when I chanced upon his heated argument with the unknown visitor...


	5. The Scorpions Sting Part Two

_Notes: Sorry for the late update. Just a reminder, this fic is dedicated to the Vergil lovers who want to see our tragic dark hero with a favored end. If you don't know the Greek mythological story, Vergil will tell it for you._

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**Chapter 4: The Scorpions Sting **

"The line between love and obsession Is drawn by only circumstance."  
-Anonymous

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Voices carried from the laboratory. Arkham's own in a hysterical pitch rising, "Don't patronize me, Vergil, I'm doing the best that I can! She has not told me if she has met you in the astral plane. How am I suppose to know what really goes on in there? She is conjecturally to be my eyes and ears. Hard headed little chit she is! Just like her mother."

My heart stopped at that. _Vergil?_ What the devil could be going on that he was able to come out from the dream landscape he said he was trapped in? My suspicions were not easily confirmed as my eyes held his astrophysical form. He was easily taller than my father, and his voice, when he spoke, carried with it authority, "Your daughter failed the first time. If she doesn't do what she's supposed to do very soon, then I'm afraid the whole deal is off."

Anger seethed inside me and being the impulsive female I am, I stood there facing them with my bow and arrow, pointing it at the offending spectral. I was so very tired of being used. My fingers pulled back the string and the noise of the arrow went like the speed of lightning, zinging through and hitting it's target. I didn't really expect to hit my mark because he was a ghostly image. What my initial thought was, if he can be threatened that I'm not going to be used by him or my father, it was the first step to my growing freedom.

His face, when he turned to me, expressed surprise before the arrow hit it's mark, exploding the spectral form apart. The arrow now made a loud thunk, now embedded in the wall. Arkham stepped back and his eyes bright with a suppressed joy, "Bravo, daughter, you've surpassed all I've hoped."

My body shook, and the arrows fell from my hands, my other hand tightened on the bow. I stared up at the man who was now taking a simple fan to spread out the smoky spectral that was once Vergil's presence.

"What are you talking about!"

My voice cracked, and I knew again, that I was being used; a constant tool in his sick quest for power? He ignored me and I aimed another arrow at him, "Answer me, _father,_ or you'll meet the same fate as your partner."

He stopped what he was doing and laughed, "Silly girl, you wouldn't hurt your dear papa. And that young man you just saw is a demon and you're helping me rid of their kind. Disgusting creatures. You wouldn't want demons to live among us do you?"

I have heard of demons and the story of the legendary Sparda. It was father who was obsessed with the legend, searching for little bits of anything in relation to that family line. Demons were things that were imaginary and I've always thought they've had more of an ugly appearance than what I saw. Blame that on the story books and bibles I've read.

"A demon? Was that Sparda?" I heard myself saying in desperation.

He was in an agitated state, pressing buttons on the computer and designs of his experiment were displaying itself in a three dimensional pixels. The image of Vergil vaguely coming up on the screen. He didn't tear himself away from the screen has he entered more codes, "Such a smart girl, you are. Yes that was a Sparda but not Sparda himself, but his son. The best part of all, he has human blood."

"What are you talking about!" I pulled him away from the screen and he smacked me back, my body went flying against the wall. I was quick, took aim again and glared at him, "Answer me!"

"You need a lesson in manners, my dear. All you need to know is that you've helped me put away one of the most dangerous demons. It was from your arrow that would do it, and you know why?" He seemed happy to tell me this bit of news, "Because, you made contact with him in the spectral plane, where dreams are connections to the real world." He spread his arm out, "Look around you! We're in solid form but in the next realm that deals with the mind." His finger pointed to his naked skull, the grey and purple eyes unattractive beneath the sky light, "Your connection was the issue here. Once contact, flesh on flesh, you can kill him in your present form being flesh that you are. You see, you couldn't do so in the spectral realm."

"Are you saying I killed him!"

Somehow, this thought made me flinch not because I had put away a demon but because my father said he had human blood. If that is so, would that not make me a murderer in a sense?

But he confirmed otherwise, his head nodding slowly, "Not killed, daughter, but stung him."

"Speak clearly!"

"Your participation was quite effective, knowing as I know you, Mary, you're quite the compulsive girl, eager to shoot at whatever comes before your eyes. You've got more spunk and action than you do using your head first. I suppose that's my fault for allowing you to be filled with these insecurities. I did a good job raising you."

He was right in a twisted way, and I lowered my bow and arrow. Shaken, I narrowed my eyes, "So what now, father, now that you've gotten your way…..again?"

He returned to the computer screen, his voice gleeful, "I need one more thing, girl, one more thing that would tie the loose ends that a _Sparda blood_ would give me."

"NO." My voice shook, "I won't do it."

"Ah, but you want to see him again don't you? He isn't dead you know….but he's weak right now, and if you go see him, you can extract from him the very things I need."


	6. Chapter 4: Falling on Venus

**Falling On Venus**

_And when I feel like I can feel once again,_

_Let me stay awhile…_

_If we can hold on……_

_We can fix what is wrong,_

_Buy a little time…_

* * *

I met him. A real demon from the Legendary Sparda's bloodline. It wasn't a myth after all. He was so real, as real as my dreams and the weapons I held in my hands. My father's voice droned on and on about how he wanted me to get something from Vergil. Something that only Vergil himself can give me freely and I would know it. This was my next mission as a puppet in his schemes and the silver haired demon and the coldest eyes. 

But to…extract what? Blood from a Sparda?

I was staring at a complete madman and because of my mother, I stayed on. _We'll see about that, father._ _I may have your blood running through my veins but I have chosen a different path_. I'm someone who doesn't have the desire of power, one who doesn't completely disregard family and compassion, and something else. Something more.

"I thought you said that he's been weakened? Is he in the spectral realm where you took me through that _that _monstrous machine?" I pointed at the large contraption over the make shift hospital bed. He had gone into one of his moods now that he had gotten what he wanted. Backing away slowly, it didn't take him long to stop my heels from taking flight, "You're not the type to back away from this, Mary, you're in too deep now and curiosity is such a nagging thing isn't it?"

He was right. I needed to know. I wanted to see _him_ again. Only to find out so many things. The way he addressed my real name sent chills down my spine. Arkham gave me the birth Christian name, but it didn't fit me. I couldn't swallow the fact that he, not my mother gave me this label.

Even plans can go awry. This gave me some comfort and I started over to the bed, pulled back the sheets and looked back, my face blank, "I am ready whenever you are_, father_."

"I never expected you to be so compliant but then again, you're a young girl with a taste of danger aren't you? Something your mother lacked, and all the things you've gotten from me."

_But not your cowardice,_ I longed to scream back. At least I hoped. The more I thought of it, the more I was so much like him. Isn't it the choices you make that determine who you are?

"How long have you had this demon _Vergil_ locked away?" I desperately wanted to know.

The answer I received was a blow to my head and the darkness took me in their arms.

When I came to, my head was spinning and the eyes that stared back at me were mine. The mirror in front of me, as I lay there mocked me. She was youthful, almost childish in appearance and the scar across her nose came from childhood. Verbal abuse later in life and learning to avoid my father's anger left its mark. The rest of the scars on my body were from my own training and testing the limits of my human stamina. I could take the pain and that was the only things I knew.

If it weren't for my mother, my own sanity would snap and I wouldn't know the loving caress of a parent. Weak as she was, she was so opposite from me in strength, but her resilience to stay alive for me made me grow as a young woman. Though the face that stared at me now showed none of that maturity. Her hair black as night, like a stark relief against white sheets, accentuated the ivory texture of my skin. She was the little girl who cried at night and stopped asking for love.

She was me.

The mirror was whisked away, only to be replaced by the blinding sky light that struck the irises of my eyes. Sun light paling my skin further, and my dark lashes fluttered, blocking the offending light from further damage, "What's going on!"

My hands tried to reach up to hide my face from the sky lights intrusion, but they were held down by wires and I looked over to see my father extracting blood from my veins. There were two tubes laying there by the side table marked, Mary. And a needle was seeping down my blue vein, sucking the rest into the third tube. My lips parted, dry as they were, "Why do you need my blood?" I felt a little weak and asked again, "Did you have to knock me out!"

"You talk too much, Mary, you just relax and let your papa take care of things." His eyes so like mine, looked crazy, "I need your blood, Mary, to make the serum complete. Like Sparda's blood to create twins and powerful half demons, he would have to have a human female to accomplish this….but alas, not just any human female. _Someone like his wife_. I made inquiries about her, her background and her character.

She fits the description so much like yourself and I made sure of this when I met your mother. Your mother was the gentlest soul in the world." He gave a harsh laugh, "But she was weak. Not like you, Mary. Your strength came from me but I needed to have the innocence of her essence to create you. My experiment was only too great since after all, I originally wanted a son. Never did I dream that having a daughter would actually be beneficial. Knowing now that Sparda had two sons for you would unarm one of them with your charm. I was hoping for the other one. The cockier one, who easily had a roving eye, but this one could be difficult. Although it was his quest for power too that brought him to me."

Tears fell from my eyes. My mother. I would take her away from all this and myself. How much power has he had over us? I was getting stronger day by day as my puberty came upon me. I would prevail I tell myself and I would make a place for me and my mother. The only demons I knew is the one who sired me. Isn't it ironic, I told myself as hot tears blurred my vision, that I stung the demon when the real one sits here with me?

It wouldn't be long now I tell myself. To meet him again, the man in the dream and the spectral who whispered in my mind, _Are you not the huntress?_

The skylight exposed the falling of the day; bright skies opened up a blinking of stars behind the long dying mid day, and the hours seem to slip by. Mars was invisible for my human eyes. The god of war had not made its appearance and would armour itself with a flash of red, dramatic, and impulsive.

Instead, Venus dipped down like the falling star.

Spiralling back to the realm, everything brought me back like _de ja vu_. My boots touched ground, and the cobblestones shone and sparkled, leading me the way like the yellow brick road. The dipping dark sky gave me the same peripheral vision of splattering stars. The cosmic blast of the universe in your very own back yard of hallucination.

It was then that I saw him.

Overlooking the far edge of the cliff, leaning weakly against one of the trees, his head tipped back. The shadow of his self appeared dejected, tired and worn. Have I done this to him? Sapped the strength of one of the Legendary Sparda's sons? I had heard there were two sons, but I had not known about the human part of him. This thought made me question my feelings. Demons were to be vanquished even in dreams. In this dream world, it was my mission to conquer him. I was the tool to get him to my father and was the reason why he had been able to communicate with Arkham in the phantom shape. I took care of that when my arrow met his spectral form. Have I slowly poisoned his life force?

The blanket of stars illuminated his masculine yet boyish features, the soft display of his silvery hair haloed his head and a stray set of bangs hung over his eyes.

I approached him, but before he could turn his silver blue eyes to me, his words stopped me, "Have you come for another round, huntress? Or have you decided to do as your father bids?"

"You're part human, are you not?" it was something I needed to ask, to make clear. My father has been known to lie to get his way, but my guilt would not assuage.

He took a deep sigh, "I had lost a mother once and she was as _human _as you." At those words, my breath caught and he glanced at me, a slight smirk crossed his otherwise hardened features, "Do you see how far Orion is now?" the breeze picked up, and the smell of cinnamon fell on our skin, soothing our senses. He continued his astronomy lessons, "You never asked me where Scorpius is did you?"

As amusing as all this appeared, being in the dream realm with a demon, as legendary as his father, perhaps. I couldn't help but snap at his comment, "I heard you talking to Arkham. You said something about me. About me failing the first time. What is your game?"

He grinned at me despite his weak condition and I noted that he tried to hold up his body against the tree, his silver combed back bangs now fell across his eyes, "Let me finish."

The glint in his eyes sparkled for a moment, before they were replaced by the same coldness. His voice, saccharine, yet deep and masculine, "You know why you don't see Scorpius? When he appears on the horizon, Orion starts to sink into the other side of the sky, still running from his attacker. They can never ever be seen together in the same sky from human eyes.

Registration sunk in my mind, "Are you saying I am _Scorpius_, and you are _Orion_? Because I had hunted you down with my arrow?" I almost laughed at this bit of metaphoric news, and he stopped me with another cold look,

"On the contrary, no. You are deceptively the sting, but you are _she_. Sometimes, this little myth can be rather romantic really," he scoffed at this, "I would like to think it be _idealistic_." and slightly rolled his eyes, "A human female. Here I was expecting a goddess." Then he gave a laugh. It made me angry. He was mocking me!

"You have been weakened. I am supposed to ask you something…" I came closer and he raised himself up against the tree, his height so much taller than me. I reminded myself that I could fight him in this realm if this demon Sparda should try anything. Once I do as my father wills, I will extract myself from this mission and concentrate my efforts in releasing my mother's prison. Nothing mattered now.

"Still doing your fathers bidding?" he snarled, and tried to reach out to grab my arm, I reacted violently, and in my own command, fabricated my weapon aimed at his chest, "Don't even try it."

The smell of cinnamon around us made me woozy, and my fingers were enveloped by stronger hands, pulling them aside, "Do you not wonder about the scent?"

"I'm more concerned about what you said to my father. Now, if you would just answer me…..and no I don't want to hear any more astronomy tales."

The realm around us roughly altered, and the sudden blanket of stars shifted. Venus dipped further down. The hothouse nova made us feel constricted, choked and light-headed.

"Good," he sneered, "The only one who can sting and heal me." But Vergil moved so fast that I was caught unaware of the centaur that sent a charge of arrows at us, missing us by centimetres. The half demon stood in front of me. It happened so fast. A half man, half horse, with great big hooves; stomped on the ground, smoke furling up around him and snarled, "Move aside, demon! And let me at the girl!"

The row of arrows flew at us, and Vergil moved them aside like they were flies. He tried to swing me aside, "Move, girl, I know how to take care of them!"

"Them? You mean you're not the only one here!"

My question was not answered as a galloping herd of his centaurs friends came behind him, their accusatory glare at Vergil, "We want no quarrel with you, demon, since your prison is here, but the girl, she's ours!"

"Right." The half demon scorned back, still shielding me, his hand stayed my movement and his voice, dripped with cold threat at the centaurs, "To get to her, you'll have to get through me." Vergil produced a long thin sword. It made a swooshing noise as he whipped it out in front of centaurs and before the half devil charged at them, a volley of arrows whipped through that space of time, hitting him in the chest. I screamed and started to shoot. My weapons now two pistols which sent a catapult of bullets their way, but I was hit in the chest by another arrow and another, and another…..

and together, Vergil and I fell back from the cliff's end, falling like the stars, dipping further down like Venus….


	7. Chapter 5: Venus Rising

A/N:Because of the title, there's a bit of fluff in this chapter

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**CHAPTER 6: VENUS RISING **

_"Tell me who admires you and loves you, and I will tell you who you are."  
-Charles Augustin Sainte-Beauve_

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The centaurs looked down at us as we were falling and I heard one of them yell, "We were supposed to retrieve the girl! Curse that demon! We should have taken care of him!" Their voices faded as we started our descent down, but it was Vergil who with his once former metallic self, perhaps the demon part of him, exploded with wings that took us to our salvation. They spanned out and he captured me, taking me by surprise. The stars spangled out and as Vergil caught me, in both his arms. I clutched at him. My arms naturally went round his neck. For a mere moments, we were pressed together, and he swooped us from the lower depths of rivers edge to the night sky. My cheek was pressed against the cool steel of his hardened features. I chanced a glance at him and saw the true demon form.

I felt a wave of something utterly new to me. Fear? Discomfort? But as we climbed higher, the centaurs from a distance at the edge of the cliff still threw arrows at us. This time, I knew they were aiming at Vergil. Perhaps the arrows that struck me did some damage. As I looked down at my body, still holding on to the demon, the arrows had disappeared as well as my wounds. Vergil's deep timbre woke me from my shock, they were sweet to my ears, despite his current metamorphosis, "Now you really have to get me out of here, huntress. They're likely to stalk me down until they try to get to you."

"I don't understand. Where did they come from? Are they too trapped in this dream realm?" I felt the strength of his arms round me, and I knew I wanted them there forever. Maybe it was the feeling of flying in the brisk of the cover of the night, underneath the supernatural feel of exploding stars and falling planets. The smell of mixed sweet scents muddled my senses and the strong metallic arms, flesh and bone, held me as we lifted higher and higher. I felt I had come home at last.

I gave a cry of shock because I had longed for something like this for so long and never knew what it felt like. Until now. This madness, perhaps from the dreamy quality of the atmosphere, brought me to my senses as he set us upon solid ground. I still held on to him, my arms round his neck as he transformed himself back to his human self; his silver hair falling around his temples, remarkable against dark lashes that shaped around steel blue eyes. For a second we remained so, holding each other, clamped together, while my feet barely touched ground. Then he gave a wordless cry. It sounded like shock and loathing. He disentangled my arms and pushed me away from him, "Is this your way of extracting what you need for your father?"

My legs would not support me as I trembled violently from the reaction that I felt when I was near him. My head spun and my heart pounded in my throat, "I don't even know what I'm supposed to get for him! If it's something you own then I shall take what I need!"

I felt shame creep to my cheeks. Perhaps he thought I had clung to him harder than I needed, after I was safe from falling. A sense of conceit swept over me, like a frozen external wave; because I realised I had been longing for something I could never have. Perhaps because I never knew a mans affection, be it even in the distinct form of rescue with a demon. Disgust was plain on my face as I rubbed my bruised ego.

He stood over me, his face hardened in that usual expression. A breeze picked up and cinnamon engulfed me. His hands were in fists and it were as if he were fighting something back, "Are you ready to get me out of here, huntress?"

I started my way up to my full height, anger singing through my brain, "Why do you call me that name? If it's a hunt you want, let's play that game then, shall we?"

He chuckled, a glint of amusement shadowing his boyish features, "A girl with spunk. Arkham wouldn't have produced a mere wall flower. I'll give him that much at least. Let's begin."

We were at the other side of the dividing ravine and where the mechanical waters flowed below. The Centaurs were so far now and we could see that they had departed, perhaps looking for ways to get to the other side.

Because I was so angry at myself and my reaction, my fingers itched for something dangerous, but I didn't imagine that before I could conjure up the ability of weapons to procure what it is I should take from; be it a lock of silver hair, a piece of his demonic energy through means of blood. The noise behind me stilled my imagination and a pair of white dogs growled menacingly, their teeth bared, ready to attack me or Vergil. But the demon before me, with his sly smirk and cold eyes whistled at the hounds and grinned at me, "Looks like our little battle would have to be postponed."

They obeyed their master or so it seemed that Vergil was their owner. They crouched down on all fours, now whimpering as the silver haired devil gave a slow smile, "They won't hurt you. They're my companions here when I'm in trouble." He looked at my surprised expression.

"You think this is all pretty amusing?"

My brain took the advantage, "The myth…Orion in the stars, and the hounds that protect you……," ending it with a whisper.

His light blue eyes flew to mine and there was a sense of pleasure there, "Have you figured it out yet?"

"Poison….you're poisoned….right?" I stammered, coming to my senses, "No…wait.." Reaching out, my hands slightly shook as they closed in on his face. Vergil did not move and as his expression hardened at the contact of my flesh, his body tautened. It was as if he despised my touch.

Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed my fingers before they could trace the contours along his face and murmured, "Do you believe in absolute evil?"

It was a question out of no where but his hands tightened around mine and I flinched, "Yes. I do. Because good comes from God. And you….."

I realized too that he is part demon and although the human part of him is there, would not the demonic side of him taint his blood? His jaw ticked and the breeze picked up. It appeared as if the stars around us blurred and hung like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

He came closer to me, "I am not from God, is that what you wanted to say? That I am absolute evil?"

"I thought once that we are all born pure and innocent and that no one is evil until they have chosen their paths."

What an odd conversation we were having where just moments before, we were attacked by a group of centaurs, and now in the middle of a dream, we stood silhouetted underneath the public eyes of bright hot stars. My philosophy continued, eager to tell him that I thought he may be all that is evil and because I was feeling foreign earlier. In the strength of his arms, I may have been deceived and manipulated by that evil. "It is opposite from God, it is a backward kind of perception."

He then let go of my hands. They felt hot from his touch. He breathed a ragged sigh, "And I am evil?"

I challenged him back, "You are a demon are you not?"

The corner of his lips lifted, "Damned proud of it too."

"You must despise your human blood." I whispered, backing away from him. "Tell me then, demon. What do you know of the real reason for my presence here? Am I not more than your tormenter and your healer?"

The dogs started to bark and we both turned to see the approaching centaurs, their hooves creating a smoky signal from their hooves upon gravel.

"I think an exit is in order…." Then he looked at me, "You were the very reason why I'm here, huntress. You're also the only one who can get me out."

"Because my father locked you up in here?"

Vergil growled at the approaching unwanted company, "I don't know about you, but I'm not running this time. You should ready yourself, huntress and prove your worth. I can't always protect you."

"I don't need you to protect me in the first place!"

My own feminist reaction balked at the way he sneered at me for shielding me last time, "They want me not you, right? So why do you even stay around?"

When the centaurs approached, the older one with the beard pointed at Vergil, "This time, young demon, you cannot escape our arrows."

He had also pointed at our backs and I turned to see what he meant. There were more centaurs at the other end of the cliff. In this realm there was only one way to go and that was down. Or up. And the way things looked, up didn't look possible and the waters bellow were not inviting.

Vergil gave me a quick sidelong glance, "I like a challenge, that's why I stick around, huntress."

Then the dogs charged at the Centaurs and a volley of arrows flew at us. The white hounds zig-zagged away from the deadly blows and one of them managed to fall atop their prey. The bearded Centaur kicked the other dog. A whimpered sound came from the hurt creature. Vergil conjured a long thin sword, which looked like a samurai and charged...

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	8. Chapter 6: Red Petals from the Night Sky

A/N: This chapter is 3rd pov, due to the action scenes: Enjoy!

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**Red Petals from the Night Sky **

_Love bears all things, believes all things,  
hopes all things, endures all things. - The Bible : 1 Corinthians_

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Vergil's moves were rapid, his grip tight on the samurai sword and with a forward movement, closing the distance between himself and the centaurs. Mary could do nothing more but watch helplessly as the demon slashed away, taking an arm off one half man. Then another, and another, all the while, chaos ensued. The hooves lifted in the air, smoke rising and swirling around the commotion. Another centaur from behind Vergil had turned around and sent Sparda's spawn off the ground with two round kicks. That gave him a slight opening; it brought his enemies closer to him; they greedily wanted to destroy this usurper.

The shouts from the half beasts were crying for blood; and, Vergil took no time as he went flying backward, whipping through the air, landing precisely on his back. Taking the momentum to roll backwards, he immediately got to his feet in one fluid motion. The glinting blade in his hand took another forward swipe and his opponent reigned back; their legs lifted in the air as a warning; they commenced another frontal attack on him. Before the deadly hooves could make contact with their enemy, Vergil rolled over, and connected with the large flank of a fallen centaur - their arms and one leg hacked off.

Lady Mary watched almost spellbound as he used his incredible skills to leap backward away from the attacking centaurs. She wanted to help; however, that wasn't possible with all the dust and bodies kicking around; she would have to just throw something at the centaurs, but again, an impossibility as she didn't have any human or non human weapons to control any of the beasts. Her muscles tensed as she watched with bated breath at the speed and talent he was able to use against a group of centaurs, which were about a dozen of them if she counted. An arrow spun it's way towards her, hitting the ground by her feet; she side stepped, avoiding the mark and placed a safe distance between herself and the group. The thoughts that ran in her mind were confusion and fear for if he could defeat them in such a short time, then how is _she,_ a mere mortal woman able to take him down? _If indeed that was the plan….._

From the corner of her eye, a centaur away from the group started at her, and she readied herself for the attack, facing him. Quickly sidestepping with a backward bounce and producing a double barreled shot-gun. She pulled at it as the charging centaur came at her. The impact of the shot sent her reeling back towards the edge of the cliff and while some of the bullets had hit the centaur, most of it disappeared into the background of stars. The horses hooves came on her before she could move, imprisoning her, her body held there as the centaur above laughed and kicked away the offending shotgun from her hands.

She responded quickly, her mind swift with another blade in her hand, and struck the centaurs hind legs, producing a cry from him. He withdrew and as she allowed herself to get up, the feeling of slipping off was painfully close as small rubble of rocks fell downward, creating an echo as they went splashing at the depths below. Turning her head, she couldn't believe her predicament and wouldn't allow herself to fall again. Giving herself a quick glance at the Sparda half-demon, he had already fallen most of the centaurs and was about to use his blade for final swings at the remaining three.

Vergil's sword spun in butterfly movements and had lifted himself off the ground, high above the centaurs and his blade sparkled against the stars reflection. Upon landing, he had fallen on the back of the bearded centaur, now partly bloodied from the battle. Vergil's arm came around his neck while the centaur tried to pull him off with a back kick of his powerful legs and pull the offending demon with his arms. The silver haired man used his strong legs to flank the horse and with his other arm brought the sword against his neck, cutting a little flesh.

Vergil gritted his teeth, his face now against the other centaur as he pulled him up, "If you wish your death, I'll gladly give it to you."

Mary stood up from her corner and shouted, "NO! CEASE!"

The commotion had stopped, the half horses were about to throw long sharp poles at the demon, which sat rigid upon their leaders flank. They all looked at her.

Resolve overtook her and she held a crossbow pointed at the demon, "Let him go! I think we've had enough violence don't you all agree?" Her blue and violet eyes grazed over at the centaurs, "Look at your comrades, you proud half breeds, they've all fallen and do you want to die so easily!"

Vergil held the bearded centaur tight, his arm around him, nearly choking the beast. His silvery blue eyes alight with rage and amusement at the young human female though his voice laconic and smooth "Looks like the little Lady wants the remaining few of you to live out your miserable lives after all. Should I comply with her wishes or write loving words on your epitaph?"

The centaur beneath trotted violently, but his choked voice stilled his comrades, "We never back down, no matter our opponent!"

Mary's eyes were wide with surprise and with swift speed, raised the arrow up in the sky, and released a bow that flew straight into the depths of the night sky. Then she brought them back at the centaurs, her voice wavered on a shaky brave front, "Cease this! Why do you want to attack us! If it's me you're after, then what is your purpose! Speak or I shall bring this poisoned arrow through your heart. And trust me; you won't die a merciful death."

Vergil grinned up at the female, "Demons certainly aren't as generous as you, dear lady. Still, I'm feeling very generous today and the thought of this creatures slow death would be better than the end point of my sword."

The remaining centaurs grumbled and chorused between them, "Let us leave here and take our dead companions a place to rest so we can re-live another time…..come, Roland, do not be stubborn this time….we do not need the girl…"

After what seemed an eternity, the centaur beneath Vergil stopped his violent movements and whined down to a slow trot and complied, "Just this time, we will back down…." His dark eyes took on a less violent hue, giving his assent to the young woman as he nodded, "We shall not bother you again…."

The demon jumped off his back with one quick side leap, landing elegantly on his feet.

They had left, taking what little they could of their fallen comrades and Vergil turned to Mary, his eyes turned a soft steel blue, "What a choice you've given them. It's too late for the others though. So tell me, why did you decide to be so generous?"

Before she could answer, the breeze picked up and instead of cinnamon Mary had expected, the scent of roses were everywhere. She lifted her head and a rain of red petals fell around them in a gentle caress. The half demon's eyes narrowed, suspicion in his boyish features, "Roses? Was this your idea of sending the arrow in the sky?"

Mary's dark lashes lifted, her blue and violet eyes were reflecting her soul to him, "I didn't know. I wasn't sure….I thought that if I could send a poison arrow in the sky, that I would make something come down to stop everyone if they didn't comply." She walked slowly, the scent of roses overwhelming her and her booted heels treaded softly on the crushed petals. Her arms reached out, taking some of the petals in her open palms.

Vergil steadily watched her, noted the soft reaction of her expression, the innocence of her smile as she stared at the open sky with a sense of wonderment and awe. She breathed a sigh, "Vergil, you did not tell me about the scent…you were about to….the cinnamon. Now, roses…."

His gaze scanned the sky for a moment then back at the girl, his body relaxed but his fist clenched. The feeling he felt was an alien thing. Vergil reminded himself that he didn't want to feel anything….not for her, not for anything….but her face, alight with a child's mystery and purity made him slowly soften despite himself. He could hardly remember his own beloved mother and the amulet he kept inside his shirt. Now it seemed to him that it was pulsating with a kind of magic of it's own and though he had softened, his response, however, was as cold as ever,

"Don't you know anything? Cinnamon has powerful antiseptics, capable of killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, which for me are pretty much null…,.but for you, a mere human…." He stopped himself and the need to kick himself for his rudeness multiplied as her innocent expression changed, anger replacing them.

Vergil groaned, running a hand through his silver locks, "Listen, your ability in this realm has surpassed more than I had hoped, and…..you have just one more step to take me over….to finally release me……"

His hand held out to hers…..

She looked at him strangely, "Wha-?"

Her body seemed to move of its own accord. The scent of roses all around them, as the petals fell from the sky….her mind screamed out, _He's a demon, don't trust him_…..but instinct told her something else.


	9. Chapter 7: The Huntress and Orion

**The Huntress and Orion **

_Beautiful blue, beautiful you: _

_To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven._

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I stared in perplexity at Vergil, addressing me with a taciturn message. Those arctic sapphire eyes seem to bore holes into me and I was neither ashamed nor frightened of what might happen.

His hand was inches away from mine. Whereupon contact, the heat between us intensified, making me jump at the contact; jolts of energy passing between us. Then I knew, I knew when my eyes met his, before I was immediately covered in darkness…………… a flash of light and the welcoming ocean of darkness kissed me awake.

He had deceived me.

My eyes flew wide open and I was sent back to the laboratory. The skylight revealed flashes of light; white hot electrical currents flickered across the ceiling, causing streaks of lightning to crash through. My body felt heavy, drugged and my limbs froze by my sides. Then a jolt went through me as my wordless screams were stark and sharp in my mind; visions of Vergil's presence, his blue visage coming in and out of my consciousness like a gust of wind battering at me, taking swipes at my soul.

The last images I saw before midnight darkness whispered good night was my father's face; distorted and disgusted. His voice taunting, "Who would have thought? Mary, the daughter I sired, a good girl falling for a demons trick? Do opposites really attract? Just like your mother you are. So full of innocence and needful of love. When will you learn, girl? That life isn't like that?" the contorted face came closer to mine, "That life isn't about happy endings?"

_You're wrong_, I longed to scream, _So wrong! My mother never needed to crave your love! She had plenty of her own! You were the one in need, Arkham._ _But it was too late for you_, wasn't it?………._your soul was already tainted._

I never got a chance to form those words as I was being spiralled back, back into the world where I smelled the roses and the stars fell around. _Where the world covered Vergil and I in a mirage of ebony desert. _But this time, there sat a mirror, distorted as it was from the other side of the world, where I belonged. The long reflection ran along the edge of the horizon, lining up like a flaming blue optical illusion that sharpened my senses. Moving my body, the cold fear in my heart seem to freeze as I saw Vergil from that other side, his eyes flickered over to me.

My palms flat against the mirror, my anger rose in degrees, because I would not, could not be trapped here! He had, in my mind, exchanged me in the bargain. Ensnared in here like prey and my father accomplice to this madness. Trembling violently, I fought the tears that threatened to spill. They were signs of weakness on my part and they did no good. Instead of feeling sorrow and pain, my body shuddered in uncontrollable anger. My fists clenched so tight that I could feel my short nails biting into my palms.

This was nothing to me. I knew from the experience of my father's abuse, that I can take all the ugliness and shove it right back. Vanity had become one of my enemies. I knew that long ago when I stared at the mirror, the scar running across my nose, mocked at me, and I railed at the image before me. Hating my long dark hair and taking the pair of scissors to cut off the crowning beauty poets discussed in verse and bible books.

The effect I felt was grotesque, but decent. Almost to my disgust, I nearly cried with regret as those heavy masses of wavy ebony hair fell from my head onto the floor, creating a sea of black ribbons around my pale ankles. So it was from then, I became more focused in my fighting skills and use of firearms. This amused my father but he usually paid no mind to my silly girlish desires.

My studies grew fervent, taking in so much knowledge from the world and people. Still, I felt illiterate in comparison, especially to the evil brilliance that my father was. If I should come in contact with anyone, I distanced myself from any affection. This was reserved to my dying mother. I think this is what kept her alive and the thought of her alone brought a sense of fear deep inside me.

_Get a hold of yourself, Mary. You're no good here to your mother if you're going to start with the waterworks. It's your own fault for trusting_. My father was right……you can't trust and there are no happy endings.

I hoped the revulsion brimming from my eyes could sear through as Vergil looked straight at me. Glaring mutinously at him, he had no shame and what would I expect from a demon? The Legendary Sparda ran through his veins……and if he were like his father, he showed no signs of human compassion from that particular ancestor. I stood helpless as the demon turned to my father, their images slowly disappearing and my hands shook. The anger in me was unbearable and I conjured anything that came to mind for imagination was everything, wasn't it?

I waited for something, anything….but my mind went blank. I didn't give up so easily, not really, not when I can with the force of my boot kick at my reflection. _The images of Vergil and Arkham disappearing in the distance._ Leaping forward again, my leg lifted and using all my strength of my lower body; kicked with a powerful force, slamming the heel into the mirror. Again and again until the sweat from my brow and the pain coursing through my legs came in sharp relief in the center pain of my mind. My fists made contact with the wall, slamming into them until the knuckles bled. Through sheer will power I forced myself to walk through the mirage when the reflection started to crack.

The crack was what did it. I awoke in a painful clarity of everything around me. The open skylight blinked at me with the power of the night sky. Time must have passed by so quickly because the laboratory lights were switched off and everything that lit the corners of the room were emanating from the ceiling window. A sheet was laid over me and the humming of Arkham's computer revealed the blinking cursor of doom; starkly white against a blue wide screen. Everything was clothed in a hazy blue atmosphere and the jars that lay upon the tables appeared dusty with a bluish sheen. I heard the ponderous ticking of the grandfather clock. _Where is everyone?_

I had a moment of amazement as I lifted my leg over the side of the bed. The smell of roses faint in the air.

As I made my way out of the laboratory, the hall was dark and shooed away the indecision that crept in my head. The hall was full of lifeless stuffed beasts; their eyes black and empty, swords, and old artefacts. Seeing the halberds arranged in panoplies along the wall, I could thank my father for displaying swords for they made it easy to acquire. I crept into the next room, listening for any sound of voices.

It was unmistakably quiet. So quiet that it made me tense. The blue surroundings of my vision eyed the fireplace in the middle of the next room, and there, lighting up every shadow away blazed a fire. The large leather chair that partially blocked my view turned and Vergil lounged there, his icy blue eyes held mine as his elbows were set upon the sides of the chair. The beautiful silver head nodded slightly while his hands held together,

"Had a nice dream?"

My sword wavered by my side and his light eyes flicked over to them, "Took your time getting here. You going to use that?"

"Where's Arkham?" was all I could say. Though I wanted to strike him, common sense told me to stay my hand for awhile…

"You mean good ole' dad?" he languidly drawled, "I thought maybe you'd use that on me and afterward, we'll resume our chat." I watched him as he lowered his hand to relax easily on the armchair whilst his other placed over his temple, putting weight upon the arm of the chair. He taunted playfully, "Have a good hard look at me?" Lowering his lids, his eyes strayed to my weapon, "I don't think I've ever seen you use a sword properly, but you can shoot pretty straight. Your sword skills may need honing. Would you like me to help?"

I looked to where he was referring to and hoping there was enough venom in my voice, I spat out, "You may brag as you wish but you should do so only have you claim victory."

"I love the fire in you. It reminds me of someone I loved……..he's so much like you." He sighed, "There is so little in life I really love…." I saw his hand stray slowly to his chest and his fingers seem to trace something beneath the midnight shirt. _A necklace?_ He lazily stood up, "Would you care to resume the battle here or outside on your lovely front lawn?"

"I'm so confused…." I whispered as he started to walk towards the open door. He turned to me with such intensity that I stepped back.

"What did you do to my father? Where is he? If you had killed him, damn you, I will gut your miserable demon hide."

He clucked his tongue, "Tetchy aren't you? I was going to but I thought maybe you'd enjoy that far better than I" then his eyes narrowed to slits, "But killing someone like him gives me pleasure."

"Just like the centaurs?" I launched back, "Looks like you're pretty blood thirsty, demon."

"You've found me out. Now I can't keep any secrets from you."

Silence greeted us. Tension seemed to reach a high that you could cut it with a knife. He bowed slightly, stemming the yawning hush around us, "You could at least say thank you for the courtesy."

"You bastard!" I stepped forward swiftly, closing the distance and slashed with the blade. He parried the attack easily, "So soon?" the corner of his lip lifted.

He launched a counter attack and I hopped back a bit to deflect the attack. The sword he had at his side came out so quickly that the surprise answer made me stumble. My jump was several meters high as I hopped onto furniture, turning them over. My jumps carried me around the great open room and I easily managed to defend myself as he came after me with another blow, his sword came crashing down atop me, hauling away the weapon in my hand. It went flying and crashed against the wall, just managing to roll away quickly. My memory of where the furniture lay clear though stumbled over a small table. Vases and small items fell over, crashing unto the carpeted floors.

My gun! I didn't want to use it for the noise it would cause. I had a gun tied to the strap of my thigh at all times and upon retrieving it, held it firmly in my hands but he was faster, so much stronger than I that I only managed to defend and deflect, and perhaps he would have killed me easily. My own breathing thrummed in my ears as the demon backed away. The cold blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, "Time to dream again, Mary. I'll come back for you……."

He reached out and blue electricity came out of him. I tried to cover myself from the assault, my finger pulled the trigger, heard the shots ringing out and tried to raise my arms to deflect the blow. I awoke back to where I was, before the blue haze, before my fight with the devil. The sky light revealed Orion in the northern sky_; the archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim. _

For some reason, my hands shook as I raise them up to cover my eyes, tears coursed down my pale cheeks.

No, I told myself, no. _If I am the huntress, have I placed him among the stars? Or in my nightmares? Oh my god, what has my father done to me? So that he could get his attainment of power? Has he made the bargain with the devil through me?_

The thoughts that churned through my head spun me dizzily as I realized that being exemplified as the huntress with human blood seemed ironic. I, a mere human girl against a demon?

My father came into the laboratory at that moment, his eyes sparkled with menace, "Ah, Mary, you've managed to come to. I think that dream invention I've created has gotten into you. I see that you've also gotten yourself out of there and you did a good job. Getting the young Sparda boy to comply to my wishes. I was prepared you know, if he were to try and kill me."

Raising my body up, I looked to him, "Where is that Sparda demon?"

He went about to work around his little chemistry set and didn't bother to look at me, "The son, Mary, the son. Be precise. Truly, if that were really _the _Sparda I would have no need to go through all this nonsense. Your human blood was most satisfactory."

"Why? And I saw you with him. You had trapped me in there! Left me there to rot!" I tried to control my rising hysteria.

"You ask too many questions." His back was towards me, "By the way, your mother was in dire condition, I had to send her away."

"What!" I took off, running towards my mother's bedroom to find emptiness greeting me. The yawning vacancy left my heart aching. My mother was gone. Arkham's voice below the steps called out to me, "I put her away to a proper institution. Don't you agree, Mary that that is where she belongs?"

Should I feel relieved? Angry? I didn't feel any of that. I was so numb but at the same time, it brought me one step closer to freedom.

It was then that I decided to take flight tonight. Would my father care? I was always his favorite tool to use, so yes, he would care. Not out of love but by necessity for his needs. That somehow, my blood or my purity was the final step. Using my mother was the first step towards that goal. So I made the decision this night to take care of things my own way. The manor was kept in top condition; with security guards that allowed no one in and at the same time, no one out. So how did that demon get away undetected? There were so many things I didn't know about his kind.

When the moon had lifted away and the clock downstairs struck at a late hour, the sound of thunder rumbled from a distance. I cursed silently, _great, just great_. Rain. How much more can my little getaway be easier? I stood in front of the open window. The sleet of rain softly hitting the panes of the window sill and as I allowed the wind to whip at my face; dew drops kissed at my skin and with a silent prayer, decided to make my escape.

As I slid downward, down the pipe and unto the wet grass, avoiding the hard gravel and cobblestone, _he was waiting for me. _

That's when I shot out; bullets had to have hit him in the chest. My eyes closed from the impact and frankly, I didn't know how many shots were fired. All I knew in that instance, he had pried the gun away from my cold trembling fingers. My mind screamed: _He's a demon! He's a demon! He can't die!_

Being hauled up against his chest, I heard his snarl by my ear, "You're more trouble than you're worth. Just announce it to the whole world that you've escaped."

The wind whipped around us as rain came down and sent his combed back silver hair in a ribbon blanket around his eyes; wet rain drops melded his thick silver lashes. His derisive remarks didn't end there, "Now look at what you've done."

Glancing towards his chest, there were bullet holes that ripped and damaged his once beautiful immaculate blue satiny trench coat. It was not that that I was awed at, but at the way his flesh inside had healed remarkably fast before my eyes.

"I knew it," I told myself without realizing I voiced them out, "I knew you wouldn't die."

"It's a good thing too," he drawled, "Dating anyone fully human would be out of the question for you. Since you've got a trigger happy itch. But," he paused, "Don't think I am invincible. Too much of your gun firing tactics would end up killing any demon."

Everything was real this time, his presence, the rain pelting on us, and the awkwardness of the scene. I quickly replied, avoiding the discomfort of the situation, "As if I would……date you.."

"Or shoot me some more?"

"You're in league with my father aren't you?" I kept my gun at his chest. Giving me that information that I could take him down just a little at a time made me powerful but somehow, empty.

"Should we not leave here? Instead of standing in the middle of the pouring rain? We have much to discuss, Lady."

The hazy atmosphere brought a blue blanket around us. Despite myself, I liked the sound of that; the way he called me Lady.

He slightly smiled and for the first time, they made his masculine features extremely boyish that they lit his face up, "You're awake…"

_Yes, I am_. Everything was so beautiful, _all this beautiful blue……_


	10. Chapter 8: Orions Tears Part One

**Dark Knight: Orions Tears I **

_Hope is the thing with feathers- _

_That perches in the soul- And sings the tunes without the words- _

_And never stops- at all.  
-Emily Dickinson _

_

* * *

_

The blue fire that surrounded us radiated from him and a sort of paralysis invaded my limbs. I thought Vergil would have to carry me away as the noises from my father's guards came upon us. I knew he would not mind doing that. It was too late to move my legs to make a sprint. Vergil had lifted me up in his arms for he was so very strong. As I felt his arms about me; one arm under my back, one under my knees, I thought I heard my father's voice from the topmost window shouting. There was undeniably anger in his voice, but they were muffled by the rain or my own confused thoughts.

"I think your father wants his little girl to go back home." He looked at me sideways, his arctic blue eyes contained blue-flames in them and we went flying into the air, but we never did get far as his image faded. The solidity of his presence, flesh and blood disappeared. My arms tried to grab hold of his faded image, but my fingers swiped at empty air. I was sent spiraling downward from the height we were at, which caused me to land purposefully on my legs, giving more weight to the right leg. I heard a crack and I stumbled, my face met the wet dew of the grass and the screams came from me. Rain and wind battered around me and the elements tried to distract me from my pain. I could only feel the shocking pain that ripped through my right leg, which had struck the ground at an awkward angle. Trying to move, I could see my father coming towards me and a few of his guards. _Vergil_!

My fathers voice from above me seemed clipped, "Now you've hurt yourself. That's my job. Though that serves you right, trying to run off like that. Where would you go? Vergil can't help you. Your blood managed that." He gestured to the guards to pick me up and from my position; cramped up with my hand over my broken leg, just barely able to reach my gun. Before I could point it towards them, they had extracted it from my curled fingers.

I managed to look up and that's when I saw him return. Vergil appeared behind my father and the guards in that same metallic demonic form; gloriously silver blue and black in the rain. He had with one swift move of his power divested the guards around me; they went tumbling on the wet grass, choking on the electrical currents that were seared through them. Stopping only before that their limp bodies told of their unconscious state. Vergil glanced quickly at me, "I thought I'd be merciful…_for you_."

No one looked as heroic as he did then and I realized through my pain and confusion what I've refused to see before. When my arms were wound around his demon form; blue fire and magical, like the dragon of my dreams and my face tight against the cool, smooth flames that clarity collided with confusion. But I did not then know what admiration and love together felt like.

My father's voice interrupted with a maniacal pitch and clapped his hands, "Bravo, you two. If I were the romantic type, I'd start bawling my eyes out and get a year supply of Kleenex. So much sap it makes a father so proud. Should I arrange for a wedding date? I'd love to give away the bride…..it's after all a father's duty."

"Shut up!" Vergil sneered, "I would have taken care of you sooner but I believe it's your daughter's call." His demon form disappeared and returned to his human image. He looked at me with a silent vigilant question in those cool blue eyes that asked me what he wanted to know.

"I think, father, if you don't want to get hurt, you'd do as you're told." I finally replied. The pain in my leg felt razor-sharp that I was thankful for the rain, wetting my face for tears seared the back of my eyes. I could not tell if I had cried through the wet sooty lashes of my vision. My voice wavered and an onslaught of words came out of me, all for the justification of a demon, "Whatever you have up your sleeve, you can't even possibly try and defeat Vergil. If you've got any more manipulative schemes……"

He cut me off, "Quiet, girl, you just don't know what you're getting into. With a half demon no less. He's no worse than myself. Haven't I told you that you can't trust anyone?"

Arkham turned to the half demon, "How is it that you've managed to return to your solid form, Vergil? I thought that I had taken care of that…."

"You can thank your daughter for that, old man, the blood you extracted from her did two things; one to provide you with the potency of pure white power since you used that blood to combine with a sacrificial animal. How appropriate since you study and sacrifice so many animals for your little laboratory. In order to lure a demonic energy like myself closer. As you know, our little agreement before," he continued, but his eyes strayed over to mine. A flicker of regret seem to cross them and I lay there gritting my teeth from the pain.

He paused only momentarily to pick me up, "Come little Mary, you need to get that leg fixed up." And for the second time on that rainy day, he held me in his arms. I winced from the pain but I sputtered, wanting to know more, "I'll be fine…just tell me what's going on. Everything."

"Yes do tell, I'm dying to know as well….my daughter would like to know of your deception as well.." Arkham responded with a sense of triumph. We were getting drenched underneath the cover of clouds and rain and wind whipped around us. I thought that if my constitution wasn't strong enough, I'd surely be sick tomorrow.

"First things first…" Vergil gave him a warning look, "Your daughter needs tending."

"Such concern. It aches me deep down here…" My father made a gesture with his fist against his chest. "This isn't the Vergil I have thought to be…."

"If you have had the courtesy to learn more about my lineage and not just about my father's side, you'd know my mother raised me and my brother with what you haven't the slightest clue of."

"And that is?" Arkham scoffed, "You were the one who wanted power. I want the same things you do, boy. You and me, we're alike."

Vergil ignored him and walked towards the manor, the doorway was left open to allow us inside and my eyes closed from the excruciating pain. It was with sheer will power not to cry out like a little girl. This made me appear strong and could take physical pain, but the truth was so far from that.

He set me down upon the couch where the fires were lit in the room and took one of the folded wool blankets by the fireplace; placed them on me and then proceeded to look at my leg, "Looks like you'll heal from this. Here," Taking one of the bottles of wine from the table next to the couch, he poured me a glass, "Even if you don't drink, these are old remedies for tension and easing the pain.

Arkham folded his arms, standing there looking at us with a sense of anger in those same colored eyes as mine. I became so ashamed of my own lineage, of my own father, the pain stark truth of being related to a mad man. If Vergil had a father like Sparda who protected humans for example; a true demon that sealed the doors from the demonic world to this world and his mother being a wonderful and beautiful human, then truly this knowledge only made me cry in pain from the darkness that ran in my father's vein.

"How touching, Vergil. Such deep concern for my daughter. It breaks my heart." Arkham taunted, "Tell her what your plan was and let's see if she looks at you with the same admiration again."

* * *


	11. Dark Knight: Orions Tears Part Two, End ...

Side note:

Thanks to those who supported me. If you want to see more of this, Dark Knight 2 is up in my other pen name: Devil Sunday. Go to my profile and you'll see the link. The continuation has more action and adventure, a more kick ass, mature Lady and the same bad ass, cold half devil Vergil.

* * *

**Dark Knight: Orions Tears, Part 2 **

_"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, _

_deserve your love and affection."  
-Buddha_

* * *

"Go on, Vergil, do tell my daughter. She's waiting you know." My father taunted. It brought an edgy response from the half demon and I can tell he tried to avoid his annoyance beneath a calm front. 

Vergil looked at me and though his face softened, I was met with cool light blue eyes, which I've become so familiar with, "I think, Arkham, you should call for a doctor and then I shall dispatch all to your daughters ears."

"It shall be done," was my father's reply, but he looked at me with those different colored eyes and with a swift retreat, walked out of the room. When Vergil and I were alone, I eyed him with a kind of confused doubt; my voice I hoped was steady,

"There are so many things I want to know. Why have you locked me in that place? Were you not exchanging your solid form to come out of there by using me as a medium?"

He nodded his silver head, "Naturally."

I began to fidget from his truth, preparing myself for the worst, "Then if I didn't get out of there, I'd be there forever. What was I thinking?" The truth was now seeping in, making me feel horrible again and I was disgusted at my inability to trust.

"Before you think of all the horrible things that I am, Lady, there are things you should know……Just once, slow your mind to understand this…"

His voice calmed me and I settled back into the couch, my leg felt as if it were on fire and my once brave front came tumbling down like dominoes. The tears fell down my cheeks and I cursed my weakness. I cursed the broken leg, my awful luck, my father's harshness and my mother's own mental health. Most of all, I felt like cursing the devil himself. Right here in front of me so it was with shame that I wiped the tear with the back of my hand. I nearly reached out to the other tear but Vergil brought out his hand to stop me and with the gentlest touch, used the pad of his thumb to wipe away that remaining tear.

"It has always been difficult for me to cry." He openly stated, "I never saw the need for it. It is such a _human_ trait. I've always wanted to be like my father, who was by right, stronger than the Prince of Darkness himself."

With this bit of news, I remained somewhat callous, "So? I'm sure guys don't cry that often and I'm sure demons like you don't." I wanted to sound harsh really, but the pain in my right leg and in my heart wouldn't stop. Just great, my leg broke and now _I felt my heart breaking_….

"Yes, devils may cry, but you'll never see a devil cry now would you?" His light-blue eyes sparkled with icicles and if I had looked closely, I might have seen something else. He continued jokingly, "After all, demons don't cry for those they love."

"How could demons love?"

"Indeed. Vile creatures we are. Are we not?" He countered with another rhetorical question, although I knew he was mocking me, challenging my prejudices over such as his fathers' kind. This made me aware of how terribly like my father I _could _turn out to be...I didn't want that.

We looked at each other for a moment, but the noises coming from my father's laboratory made us jump and he stood up quickly and ran towards the noise, a curse on his lips.

I struggled to get up, the pain shooting through my leg but I was determined to find out what had happened. My father, knowing him, would be doing something horrible again. It was so predictable. What awaited us, I would try to be prepared. So I leaned purposefully on my left leg, grabbed hold of one of my father's poker stick nearby and slightly hopped towards the noise. My gun now strapped to the leather ties around my thigh was now loaded. As I stood at the entrance of the laboratory, there stood Centaurs by the huge towering dream contraption and they were holding my father's limp form. The shock I received took away any pain I felt at that instance.

Vergil stood there, his sword in his grip and was about to raise the sword until the Centaurs called out, "If you strike us here you will be responsible for this miserable humans death." And the cold candour from Vergil stilled my blood, "Better by your hand than mine."

It was the bearded centaur Vergil spared for my sake. The horror of their presence here; the open skylight displaying mythical creatures in the reality could not be more astonishing. Everything with my father's will to pursue the Sparda blood and power went beyond my own realities for he had not only in his obsession brought myth and magic into the world; he had brought with it an inexchangeable curse. Vergil's superior quickness dodged the blow the first centaur charged, taking a step back, giving himself some room, to hit harder with a downward swipe on the flank of the horse.

The centaur felt the flat edge of the sword from his attacker and quickly lifted his hind legs to buck, his voice angry," Fool demon! Are you trying to spare me again?"

Vergil reacted with such smooth movements as he sidestepped to avoid another assault, making the other centaur seem bulky with their aggressive attacks. His counters and deflecting abilities made me watch him as would a snake charmer charms their victims. Vergil slid back from each blow, his silver blue eyes glinted with a sense of amusement and avoided another attack, feeling wind brush against him from the speed of the hooves that came crashing upon him. As the centaur charged again, his opponent brought his blade down with a smooth downward u-shape swing, which sent the half breed slamming over the metal tables, breaking them and the items made shattering noises upon gravity impact. There were arrows flying but they missed the mark each time.

My father awoke with a groan in the grip of the other centaur; there were three of them, one throwing his weight around at Vergil, attacking with brute force, the other shot arrows at the demon. The one holding Arkham held the neck securely that when he came to; he had nearly choked out with his legs flailing in the air, screaming with a sort of fear, "No! I brought you here so you could get revenge on the demon! See! I brought you to him!"

"Foolish mortal," The proud centaur who held him wore disgust in his voice, "We don't take orders from anyone. Nor do we care to be fooled into your scam to get what you want."

My eyes scanned everything around me and seeing that Vergil had brought down his sword on the ankle of his opponent, putting all his weight behind the strike, it would end the fight without killing the beast.

Gun shots fired in the air, sending bullets over their heads and out into the open skylight….they were from my own gun. My fingers twitched as it pulled back the trigger, holding it down, commencing rapid fire all along the walls and sending bullets to take them by surprise.

I had hoped it worked; they all stopped and my voice, sure and steady, called out," Mind telling me all what the hell is going on around here!" my eyes shot over to the bearded Centaur, his face heavily drenched in sweat from the small battle. And being such a huge beast, it must have been difficult to fight in such a small enclosure despite how large the laboratory appeared.

My fathers voice was the first to call out, "Mary my dear, these centaurs came out of the machine trying to threaten my life. I can only thank Vergil here for interrupting their purpose." When the words were out, the centaur holding him spat out,

"Lying human, you brought us here for your own agenda so that we would kill _him!"_ His head indicated towards Vergil and as soon as the words were out, he was being choked again only enough so that he couldn't make out any coherent words. I felt nothing but pity for him if even that I should feel. He was pathetic in his evil genius; pathetic and weak. It is perhaps why he wanted Spardas power. Or why he needed Vergil.

The half demon laughed," Botched up your plans, did it, Arkham?" He sheathed his blade into the scabbard and turned to the bearded centaur that was now injured, "I know your breed and they are not the lying manipulative kind, so you tell your version of the story."

"It is just like my friends have said, demon, that scheming old man brought us here to destroy you. We do not want quarrel with you anymore than you with us. We merely wanted to give him a slow death, but not before we have returned to our realm." He ended with a grave stare, his proud chin raised up and I knew that he was telling the truth.

I shuffled myself closer, my gun still in my hands pointing at them, my voice rising, "Father! Return them to their world. They do not belong here…" I trailed off, my leg now starting to hurt and I nearly fell from the shooting sparks that appeared like fireworks behind my eyes. The next minute I was in Vergil's arms and my weight fell on him. I still held on to my gun.

"You should have stayed where you were, little girl, this is no place for you in your condition."

He said that so matter of factly that it incensed me, "I want to make sure my father does what he has to do…and don't tell me what to do!"

"Your little spit-firing personality isn't on display here, Lady, what is important is your fragile condition." Without waiting for my reply, he turned to the others, "Well? Are you not going to allow her father to return you back to your homes?"

The bearded centaur, the one called Roland considered this with a comment, "We would like that, yes, but there is another condition……."

"If it's within our ability to give you that condition." Vergil laconically replied, his eyes lit blue-fire that held authority.

"Then this is what we want…." Roland agreeably nodded.

It was days, weeks later that everything seemed to calm down to normalcy. Many things came clear to me. Vergil gave me his version of the truth as well. He had been contacted by my father suggesting to him about a dream contraption in where Vergil could meet his father in the netherworld. And to extract power and strength so as he could be just like his father, but he didn't realize how much like his father he was.

Since my father wanted more than just Vergil's presence inside the dream realm, he would have to devise a way to get the soul of Vergil's into his own. Arkham wanted more than just the Sparda bloodline; he wanted Vergils spirit and his essence. Of course by Vergil trapped in that realm, he'd be able to procure his goal by sapping bit by bit of his demon spirit. Hoping in his devious plan to incorporate that through the machine but things went awry and he had to use me. This was where father had failed to realize that although my human chromosomes had the perfect sequence of purity and laced with his own tainted blood, my father forgot to include my mother's pure soul, which was already incorporated so deep within me.

Realizing too that Vergil had to get out of the realm through me, he had to devise a plan to make it so that he was in league with Arkham, so as to get exchange for his parole out of that place and to take revenge on my father. The exchange was so that he would give Arkham what he needed, only so that he may see his father. Leaving me in the realm was part of the plan, because he knew that I would not sit idly by and cry myself with pity when I was left alone. He had known my own spirit better than me. My father also tried to have a back up plan, which enabled him to have Vergil's form unsolidify in the real world, but that went awry as well. There were more details I needed to know, but right now, I realized through the peaceful clarity of my mind how Vergil came to be:

_When I thought he was being cruel to me, he was trying to be merciful. When I thought he was trying to destroy me, he was trying to save me._

_I thought he was not only beautiful, in a marvellously severe and unsmiling way, but also kind and good. _

_A Knight with the powerful darkness in his veins: A true dark knight. _

Vergil walked over to me while I lay there on the bed; pillows propped up behind me. As for my leg; the doctor said would heal remarkably for it would have a clean break since after all, I was young and active. I pushed myself over so that he could sit next to me. The light from the window streamed sun beams on the carpeted floors and along the bed; lines of shadow and light creating a vertical design and everything looked as magical as in the dream. It's amazing how days seem to be so much more glorious when everything was right in the world. Thanks to Vergil, he had extracted my mother from the institution. She was healing astonishingly fast; her mental capabilities it would seem were stemmed from the fact that my father's brutal mental abuses caused her.

It has been only a few weeks and the manor was alive; where once was obscurity and gloom that hovered in every corner is now replaced with light touches of poignant past memories. Memories of my childhood, before the abuse, before my father's growing desire for power and his vicious behaviour to my mother. She must know, instinctively that he was gone because her eyes sparkled with mental awareness and called me by my first name.

He brought me a glass of water and I drank it. My eyes watched him through dark sooty lashes and afterward, he carefully took the glass away, setting it upon the table and settled himself next to me. Somehow, the intimacy of our situation didn't seem so scandalous since the past few weeks; we've been together so often. We even sparred several times, though my condition with my leg was most challenging, t'was not impossible. Those were fun. He was such an accomplished fighter and I was only grateful that he didn't always take it easy on me. I liked it when he actually allowed himself to fight me with some of his true might. Though I got pretty bruised and banged up from those fights, barely getting away. Though I think in truth, he always refrained in the end at least for my sake. How much my human bloodline must seem so weak to him in comparison.

Would not a demon like him who wants so much to be like his father want to be with a female demon? The thought had crossed my mind a few times. I have oftened wondered of the sadness I sometimes see in the depths of his light-cobalt eyes. He mentioned a twin brother once before during our conversation. Was that the cause of his deep sadness? Or the father and mother he has lost? Whatever the case, we were both a like in our tragedy. I've lost a father through evil and his parents have been taken away. The only family he has left is his twin brother. Somewhere out there. Maybe one day I shall ask him about Dante.

His thoughtful expression turned to me and I felt like cuddling deeper within the folds of the fluffy pillows at my back, my hands resting peacefully by on my lap. My right leg on the other hand was fully secure with bindings and the pain no longer bothered me. Our conversation turned to the events past. Vergil broke the peaceful contemplation surrounding us, his voice a soothing balm for my senses,

"T'would it be presumptuous of me to presume that your father's fate is rather fitting? After all, he had created the dream machine for you and me. A noble gift returning the favour really."

He was looking at me for confirmation, or for approval in my eyes and a feeling of mischievousness rushed to me, motivating me, because he above all things, _inspire me_,

"It was so fitting. As the good daughter that I should be, perhaps I should for my fathers sake wish he'll be happy in that realm. And yes, Vergil, it was genius really. A fitting prison. It's a shame because it's such a lovely imprisonment. The centaurs wanted to kill him with a slow death as their plan, I know, but I think this was most _generous_ of you. Serves him right."

Vergil raised a sleek white brow at me, "What a worthy compliment coming from you, Lady, since after all, demons were never _your_ thing."

"You're right. They still aren't. But….I'll make an exception for you."

"Ah, another compliment? Two in one day? Can I expect more?" He was teasing, I knew, but it was nice to see him play with me. I think he will always play with me in that way. I hoped that he would. That he would always spar with me, in wit and battle.

"Just promise me one thing….," I gave him a knowing look; my eyes gave him an impish appeal, hoping for a more flirtatious expression. The effect was not missed by him.

"What…" his whisper was hushed.

"That you'll always call me Lady." I breathed and a blush crept suspiciously around my cheeks, suffusing me with embarrassment. I didn't know why. It was truly the first time I felt this way.

"Your wish is my command_, Lady_…" He trailed off and allowed his hand to touch mine, raised them to his lips and kissed them while his eyes never left mine. Then turned my hand over and ceremoniously kissed the scar there. He leaned closer and with the lightest touch, kissed the scar that slightly grazed my nose. This definitely made the whole situation between us very intimate, but I wasn't shocked or frightened. The feeling I felt bordered on scandalous. I knew he wouldn't do anything I didn't want for he was such an honorable devil. _Just like his father…._

_The Legendary Dark Knight…._

I lowered my eyes, knowing full well my entire body must be suffused with blushes. Though my own voice betrayed me. _Silly me_……, "Are you going to kiss all my scars?"

"Why, Lady, I like this side of you." His silver-blue eyes glanced at the scar along my leg, "I was actually planning on it…"

* * *

**_The END._**


End file.
